Isn’t it ironic – why does a Government website let employers ignore the minimum wage?

The TUC has been chasing the Government for some time to police the Graduate Talent Pool website properly. Although there are a fair number of good internship opportunities on this site, it is not actively moderated, so rip-offs are also plentiful.

At any one time about a third to a half of the placements on offer appear to ignore the National Minimum Wage by offering unpaid work. Adverts that appear to contravene employment rights should certainly not be allowed on the GTP site.

We’d have concerns about 386 of the current 796 postings on the site, but I want today to highlight just one offer that stands out as the most ironic.

Below is an extract from an advert for an unpaid “Book Keeper Assistant Assistant Volunteer” (sic) post for an entrepreneur selling “Property Tax Expertise”. Take a good look at what is being asked for here, because it looks to me like this is simply an employee job wearing a thin disguise.

Surely it borders on the masochistic when the Government allows people who are trying to reduce the Exchequer’s tax revenue to display free adverts for unpaid graduate workers.

Reviewed and finalised of financial accounts on Sage, typing of letters and signed off by Nina

Credit control include calling up customers and suppliers to chase bad debts

Person requirements

Accounting knowledge

Confident user of all Office Applications, Email and Internet desired

Understand basic accounting principles

Reconcile and agree accounts (Bank, PAYE, VAT)

Enter income and expenses into systems

Prepare information for VAT returns

Proficient with the following systems: Sage (UK)

Knowledge and preparation of management accounts (desirable)

Other attributes for ALL volunteers:

Relationship building & positivity skills a must

Tenacity & persistence skills required

Essentially enthusiasm and willingness to learn is crucial

Fluent in written and spoken English

Proficient in Microsoft Office

Be a self starter and self manager

Able to work from home, but still maintain good communications with the team

Be aligned with our mission and values below

Proactive in seeking solutions to problems

Good attention to detail

Flexible with work hours. Initially there will be more work during the training and handover phase and then the expected workload would be around from one to five days per week depending on what the volunteer student can deliver.

Degree requirements

Degree in Accounting or a subject related to Accounting is preferable

Subject(s)

Business, Finance, Management and Accountancy
Any Numerate Subject

Written by Paul Sellers

Paul is TUC Policy Officer dealing with working time and the minimum wage. He focuses on combating the long hours culture, campaigning for better laws on working time, and promoting collective bargaining and best practice.
He also focuses on influ…

Absolutely disgraceful. That site (and others) are littered with this kind of thing. HMRC seem utterly uninterested in enforcing the Minimum Wage regulations when it comes to young people, despite the fact that they are also foregoing huge amounts of tax on unpaid wages.

And when will the Low Pay Commission notice this is going on and act upon it?